Joining E2 is the most effective way to stay informed about cutting-edge environmental issues, leverage your professional network, and use your skills to influence important environmental policy issues.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Transportation Infrastructure for the 21st Century (National Webinar) TeleSalon

E2 invites you to join us for our March national webinar, which will focus on the opportunity in the coming month to improve federal transportation policy.

In just three months federal funding that supports thousands of highway, bridge, rail, and public transit projects across the country will run out, putting those economic development projects – and the jobs that come with them – at risk. Yet infrastructure investments are recognized on both sides of the aisle as essential to American mobility, commerce and economic growth.

Despite the problems with policy deadlock on Capitol Hill, this funding deadline could provide an opportunity to re-evaluate and reinvigorate federal transportation programs to address the country’s 21st century transportation needs and to do so in a manner that reduces environmental impacts and increases innovation.

As cities and municipalities begin to realize the need for environmentally sustainable waste management solutions and net-zero waste goals, business are responding with innovative technologies and approaches.

What might look like a pile of trash to the average person is quite another matter for our three speakers: E2 members, who are at the center of reducing, reusing and recycling waste – and turning it into profits. Speaker are John Shegerian - Chairman and CEO, Electronic Recyclers International, Inc.; Peter Lobin - Managing Director, ZeroWaste Global, LLC; and Cal Cunningham - Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at WasteZero

Contact ying@e2.org with any questions.

State of the Union: A View of our Energy Future from the White House (National Webinar) TeleSalon

Wednesday, January 21, 2015 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern) Next week, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address, which is expected to touch on climate change, clean energy and other E2 priorities. The next day -- Wednesday, Jan 21 -- E2 members will have an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from the White House about the President’s environment and energy priorities as outlined in the State of the Union. Join us in a conversation with Angela Barranco, Associate Director for Public Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Rick Duke, Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change White House Domestic Policy Council and Council on Environmental Quality; and David Goldston, NRDC's Director of Government Affairs. This E2 webinar will be moderated by Marc Boom, E2's Director of Advocacy.

Mission Critical: U.S. Military and the Transition to a Clean Energy Future TeleSalon

The U.S. Department of Defense has emerged as a leader in the nation’s transition to a more sustainable clean energy future, setting aggressive objectives to reduce its fossil fuel dependence and to accelerate deployment of low carbon renewable energy generation and energy efficiency technologies throughout its operations. In the process, the military is creating a strong market signal for growth and innovation in the clean technology sector.

Join us to hear from renewable energy warrior Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Dennis McGinn on the Navy's leadership in the military’s transition to clean energy; White House Federal Environmental Executive, Kate Brandt on how DOD’s clean energy work supports the President’s broader climate goals; Constellation Energy Executive Director for Public Sector Business Development, John Dukes on opportunities these military initiatives provide to the private sector; and E2 Press Secretary, Jeff Benzak, who will walk us through E2’s newly launched military energy website highlighting strategic renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on military installations around the country. Invitations have been sent.

Post-Election conference call (National Webinar) TeleSalon

Thursday, November 6, 2014 (3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern) Please join E2 and NRDC for a conference call to discuss the 2014 election results and what they mean for key climate, clean energy and environmental issues. NRDC Executive Director Peter Lehner, and Director of Government Affairs, David Goldston will provide commentary on the outcomes of the election and their implications for our work going forward in the next Congress.

Join E2 for a national telesalon highlighting how cities are leading the way in responding to climate change. Across the country, cities are on the front lines of climate disruption – and they are taking action to address the threat of climate change. Despite sluggish progress on national climate policy, many cities already have strong policies in place to reduce carbon pollution, promote clean energy solutions and prepare for extreme weather events, rising sea levels, drought and other climate change impacts. The resounding success stories of urban energy efficiency, renewable energy, and adaptation are proving how powerful, achievable and profitable these solutions can be at state and federal levels. Invitations have been sent.

Carbon Pollution Standards Telesalon TeleSalon

Thursday, June 12, 2014 (2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern) E2 will be holding a webinar on the upcoming Carbon Pollution Standards on June 12th at 2:30pm ET. Webinar Replay

On Monday June 2nd, as part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, EPA announced a proposal to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants - the nation’s largest source of emissions. This new policy, the most significant action on climate change taken in the United States so far, will serve as a global model and catalyst for innovation, investments and jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Our briefing will feature experts from the Administration and the private sector to discuss these new carbon standards, how they will work, what role states will play in implementing them, and how businesses from every sector can benefit.

E2 will also review its advocacy campaign to support and advance this policy initiative.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 (1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Eastern) Today, NRDC, BlackRock and FTSE Group announced the launch of the first fossil fuel-free stock market index, a new tool that will help climate conscious investors match their financial interests with their values. This initiative -- originated by NRDC and jointly developed with BlackRock and FTSE Group -- will create low-cost, diversified investment solutions, initially directed to foundations, universities and pension funds. It represents an important step toward creating more opportunities for fossil fuel free investing, and transforming the divestment debate.

Please join us on Tuesday, May 6 to learn more about this initiative from the architects: NRDC Board Member Philip Korsant, NRDC CFO Sarah Gillman, and executives from FTSE Group and BlackRock. They will share the considerations that went into designing this new tool, and the impact they hope to achieve. The goal is clear: to accelerate transition to a fossil fuel free future.

Invitations have been sent.

Cities: Addressing Climate From the Ground Up (National Webinar) TeleSalon

On January 29, ten major U.S. cities announced a united effort to significantly boost energy efficiency in their buildings, a move that combined could cut emissions equal to taking more than a million cars off the road and could save $1 billion annually. These cities are participating in the City Energy Project, a joint initiative of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) to create healthier and more prosperous American cities by targeting their largest source of energy use and carbon pollution: buildings.

Jamie Ponce, Chicago City Director at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, and Ted Bardacke, Deputy Director of Sustainability at the City of Los Angeles, will be presenting on behalf of two of the participating cities – cities with vastly different built environments, at different stages in their sustainability planning. Together with Laurie Kerr, Director of the City Energy Project, they will share their goals and anticipated impacts, as well as opportunities for business engagement in the process.

State of the Union: A View of our Energy Future from the White House (National) TeleSalon

On Wednesday, Jan 29, E2 members will have an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from the White House about the President’s environment and energy priorities as outlined in the State of the Union. We'll also learn about the President’s recently announced Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), a key tool in the President’s Climate Action Plan to guide the strategic development of America’s domestic energy resources while strengthening energy security and protecting the environment.

Please join us in a conversation with Rohan Patel, Associate Director for Public Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Rick Duke, Associate Director for Energy and Climate Change at the Council on Environmental Quality and the Domestic Policy Council in the White House. This E2 webinar will be moderated by E2 communications director Bob Keefe, a former White House and Congressional reporter.

Invitations have been sent. Questions to ying@e2.org

Is There a Role for Nuclear Power in Addressing Climate Change? (National) TeleSalon

Globally, nuclear power is trending towards gradual decline, impacted by the negative economic performance of the nuclear industry, expanding natural gas and renewable energy resources, and the aftermath of the Fukushima accident. In the past year alone in the United States, multiple nuclear reactors have had construction projects canceled or were shut down prematurely, including the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California. Proponents of nuclear power argue it must have a place at the table in an energy policy that addresses climate change impacts, and look to emerging reactor designs as holding promise. The presentations by former Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko, and NRDC's Matthew McKinzie, will examine just this difficult question: Is there a role for nuclear power in addressing climate change?

Reinventing the Utility Model: Can U.S. Utilities Lead the Clean Energy Transition? (National) TeleSalon

America's electric utilities are our most important clean technology investors, with capital budgets on the order of $2 trillion over the next two decades. Investment on that scale can move us a long way towards a clean energy system.

As technology changes and electricity sales growth slows, some of the largest electric and gas utilities in the US have begun shifting away from their traditional business practices, and instead are adopting sustainable energy solutions that benefit customers and the environment, while ensuring grid reliability and financial stability.

Two recent major rulings—by the California Public Utilities Commission and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission—have removed long-standing financial barriers to utility involvement in promoting cost-effective energy efficiency. These reforms will not only lead to significant reductions in consumer bills and pollution, they also established important precedents for how utilities do business in the 21st century.

Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of NRDC's Energy Program, and Jon Piliaris, Manager of Pricing and Cost of Service at Puget Sound Energy, will discuss this new approach to utility regulation and the transition toward a service business model.

The White House Plan for America's Clean Energy Future and How E2 will Advance that Agenda (National) TeleSalon

President Obama has unveiled a series of executive actions to address climate change in his second term. Please join us to hear directly from the President’s Federal Environmental Executive, Jon Powers, who oversees these initiatives from the White House. Jon will give an overview of the President’s strategy to advance the clean energy technologies of the 21st century, and discuss opportunities for E2 members to engage.

This program will also feature the debut of a major new E2 advocacy tool, the website Clean Energy Works for Us, created to provide specific data on where and how many clean energy jobs are being created across the country, and showcase the people who are working in those jobs. E2 Communications Director Bob Keefe will demonstrate the features of this important new platform, and E2 Cofounder Nicole Lederer will discuss how E2 will use it in the coming year to support the President’s climate and clean energy agenda, and other priorities.

Addressing the Cost of Climate Change (National Webinar) TeleSalon

American taxpayers are paying the price for inaction on climate change. The insurance industry estimates that climate-related droughts, super-storms, hurricanes, blizzards and wildfires in the U.S. caused $139 billion in damages in 2012, the second costliest year in U.S. history. But private insurers themselves only covered about 25% of these costs, leaving the rest on the shoulders of the U.S. government, and ultimately, the taxpayer.

In his climate announcement last week, President Obama took a major step forward in addressing carbon pollution. Please join Dan Lashof, NRDC Program Director for Climate & Clean Air to talk about the significance of the president’s proposal and what it means for our work ahead. We’re also delighted to have two experts from Swiss Re -- Alex Kaplan, Vice President of Global Partnerships, and Mark Way, Head of Sustainability Americas -- to discuss how they are assisting federal and local governments in assessing and minimizing the financial risk of climate change. Contact ying@e2.org with any questions.

Farming Energy: The Growing Role of Rural America in the Clean Energy Economy (National Webinar) TeleSalon

A growing number of American farmers are incorporating energy production in their operations. Whether through renewable energy generation like wind and solar, or through the production of biomass for advanced biofuels, rural communities are reaping additional revenue from their land. At the same time, climate change threatens to destabilize agriculture more than any other sector of the economy. As a result, farmers are playing an ever more active role in promoting low carbon energy. But as this trend expands, how can we promote practices that neither compete with food production nor cause damage to valuable natural habitat?

Join us for a discussion of the strategies and policies in place at the federal level to promote sustainable rural energy development with Sarah Bittleman of the U.S. EPA and Dr. Anthony Crooks of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Also get the perspective of E2 member Steve Flick, Owner of Flick Seed Company of Missouri, producing innovative energy crops for advanced biofuels. Invitation have been sent. Contact ying@e2.org with any questions.

Water is essential for life itself and so much more, including many forms of business activity. While there is still plenty of fresh water in the world, it isn’t necessarily located where the demand is. California and the Colorado River Basin already face serious water supply challenges, exacerbated by climate change, deteriorating infrastructure and pollution. And more broadly, urbanization and conflicts between competing demands are putting pressure on water supplies. Please join us to learn how policy, innovation and business allies are coming together to address our water challenges.

Matthew Nordan, vice president of Venrock, will frame the water resource situation and discuss the opportunities and challenges of accelerating water innovation and technology.

Karen Hobbs, NRDC senior policy analyst, will introduce NRDC’s “Brewers for Clean Water” campaign which launched last month with 24 craft brewers from around the country to speak up for the importance of clean water and the Clean Water Act.

Cheri Chastain, sustainability coordinator at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., will speak about her company’s initiatives to improve water use and engage in policy outreach on water issues.

Game Changer: How the Sports Industry is Saving the Environment (National) TeleSalon

Few sectors are as culturally and economically influential as the $425 billion U.S. sports industry. All industries meet on a football field, hockey rink or basketball court as suppliers, sponsors and/or partners of sports. The world’s largest industries pay millions of dollars to affiliate with sports because they know that sport is hugely influential on the culture of the marketplace and society at large.

Today the sports greening movement holds the potential to become one of the most influential collaborations in the history of the environmental movement. Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, Senior Scientist & Director of the NRDC Sports Project, will introduce how NRDC has become the leading environmental advisor to all major professional sports leagues, reaching millions of fans and hundreds of businesses about the importance of environmental stewardship. Scott Jenkins, Vice President of Ballpark Operations for the Seattle Mariners, will provide insight into implementing environmentally preferable practices at two of the nation's leading green stadiums -- Safeco Field and Lincoln Financial Field. Jennifer Regan, Global Sustainability Director for AEG, will discuss the impact AEG's leading environmental work is having across the sports industry, from the operations to the supply chain of some of the world's leading venues. Michael Richter, former NY Rangers goalie and now a partner with Environment Capital Partners, will share his perspective on working with stadiums, teams, athletes and fans on sustainable environmental solutions. Contact ying@e2.org with any questions.

State of the States: Financing Clean Energy (National) TeleSalon

Before clean energy can emerge at a truly competitive scale, the industry has one more hill to climb: financing. And, just as action at the State level has been a major driver of clean energy over the past decade, States are again playing a leading role in the development of ‘green banks’ and market-oriented initiatives that can make financing for clean energy and energy efficiency more efficient, more accessible and less expensive. At the March E2 Telesalon, join our panel of experts to get their unique insight into these trends:Richard Kauffman is the Chairman of Energy Policy and Finance for the State of New York and former Senior Advisor to Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu.Ken Berlin, Executive Vice President of the Coalition for Green Capital, helped Connecticut establish the first green bank.

Dan Adler, President of CalCEF (and E2 member), is focusing attention on California’s own approach to ‘green banking’ and planning for investment of hundreds of millions of dollars of Carbon Auction proceeds under AB32.

State of The Union: What's Next? (National Webinar) TeleSalon

On Tuesday, Feb. 12, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address, which is expected to touch on climate change, clean energy and other priorities of interest to E2 and its members.

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, E2 members will have an exclusive and unique opportunity to hear directly from two top White House officials about what happens next with the President’s environment and energy priorities.

Please join us in a conversation with Jon Powers, Federal Environmental Executive, and Rohan Patel, Associate Director for Public Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. This E2 webinar will be moderated by E2 communications director Bob Keefe, a former White House and Congressional reporter. Invitation has been sent.

After The Storm: With Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, NJ (National) TeleSalon

Hurricane Sandy confronted the nation with the reality of climate change, proving beyond denial that Americans are not defended against rising seas, breached levees and the devastation of our basic systems. And Sandy was only the latest in a series of extreme weather events this year, including a drought that desiccated farm land throughout the nation’s breadbasket and reduced the flow of the Mississippi River to unnavigable shallows. In the face of enormous damage and mounting costs, will our leaders act aggressively to address climate change, and what are our policy options?

Join us for a front line account of managing the hurricane response in the most heavily impacted state on the eastern seaboard. Mayor Cory Booker will talk to us about the challenges of devising policy responses to climate change in Newark, NJ, while continuing to grapple with the city’s economic challenges, and the imperative for state and federal action.E2 member Dan Miller, working with climate scientists including James Hanson, will describe the latest scientific projections on the severity and rate of climate alterations, and outline one policy response which would require Congressional action.

The Director of NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Program, Dan Lashof, will present a plan to curb carbon emissions from the largest U.S. emitters without having to go through Congress.

Please join us for this program that will frame E2’s advocacy work for 2013.

Invitations have been sent.

E2 Live Post-Election Panel: What Next for Energy and Environmental Policy? TeleSalon

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 (12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Eastern)

As part of the E2 Washington Forum on November 13, we are hosting a live webinar discussion with three leading analysts of American politics to examine what the election outcomes mean for energy and environmental policy. Did the voters provide a signal on energy and climate? How will energy issues play into the deficit debate?

Panelists include:

William Galston, senior fellow at Brookings Institution and former policy advisor to President Clinton

Chris Frates, correspondent for National Journal, covering the intersection between money, politics and policy

Steven Mufson, reporter for the Washington Post, covering energy and other financial news

Congressional Gridlock: Facing the Fiscal Cliff (National) TeleSalon

The big debate post-elections will be around the deficit, and whether Congress can come to agreement to avoid the "fiscal cliff" created by across-the-board program cuts (sequestration) slated to take effect on January 1.

How does sequestration work? What is the impact on defense and non-defense budgets? What is the risk of "going over the cliff"? What are the pathways to avoid that result? What are the implications for areas of E2 policy focus: clean energy incentives, DoD energy initiatives, EPA regulation of clean air/clean water, national oceans policy?

Kicking the Oil Habit: Biofuels and the Department of Defense (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)

Playback of the Webinar (click here) E2's Biofuels Campaign Webpage - www.e2.orgOp-Ed by Lt. General John Castellaw in the Chattanooga Times- (click here)Op-Ed by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, in the U-T San Diego (click here)

Join E2 for our September webinar to hear three expert viewpoints on the biofuels/defense nexus – with perspectives from the military, Congress and the biofuels industry – and to hear about E2’s ongoing media and advocacy campaign to defend military biofuels initiatives.

The U.S. is critically vulnerable to supply disruptions and price spikes in the global oil market. Increased domestic production cannot rescue us from this liability. Our addiction to oil is warping our domestic agenda and dictating our foreign policies and military engagements. The only way out is to develop alternatives to oil.

As the world’s largest consumer of energy, the U.S. Department of Defense is moving aggressively to address this vulnerability and diversify energy supplies by shifting away from oil toward domestic and sustainably produced advanced biofuels. The military’s commitment to the development of these fuels, as both an investor and a significant customer, is critical to the nascent biofuels industry. Yet, despite the national security imperative to develop alternatives to oil, some members in Congress have risen up in opposition to the military’s alternative fuels initiatives.

Invitations have been sent. Contact Ying Li (yli@nrdc.org) with any questions.

It Happened in Rio: The Crowd Leads While Governments Follow TeleSalon

Thursday, July 12, 2012 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Rio+20, the global environmental conference in Brazil last month, has been called “a failure of epic proportions” and “nothing more than a political charade” – but that is wrong. While the pace of international climate and sustainable development negotiations can seem frustratingly slow, local and sub-national governments and businesses around the world are taking action. In addition to the 50,000 people present in Rio, hundreds of thousands more participated virtually to make their voices heard. Countries, communities and companies worldwide announced hundreds of individual commitments to instigate real change on climate, oceans, and cities - regardless of any United Nations document. NRDC President Frances Beinecke reported on this in an op-ed in the New York Times last week. Join us for a first-hand account of the global groundswell for action from The Climate Registry and E2 members who were there.

Extreme Weather: The Worst Case Scenario Is More Likely Than You Think (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, June 6, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)

Webinar Replay, click here (Due to technical problems during the call, only the second half of the webinar was recorded.)Dr. Jim Hansen's slidesDr. Drew Westen's slides

According to Dr. James Hansen -- renowned climate scientist and advocate for action on climate change -- the probability of extreme heat waves has increased by about 4000% in the last 50 years, far outstripping the range of natural weather fluctuations. As a result, extreme heat waves like those in Texas in 2011 and Moscow in 2010 can now be said to be 'caused' by global warming, and weather events of increasing intensity are becoming the norm. Yet despite growing costs resulting from these events, the political will to address global warming is still lacking.

Join us for this webinar to hear from Jim Hansen; Drew Westen, researcher in political decision making and climate change communications; and Dan Lashof, Director of NRDC's Climate and Clean Air Program, as they discuss extreme weather, public perception, and the prospects for effective policy to address climate change.

Cities are getting serious about garbage. After years of burning or burying waste, or paying to transport it out of state, municipalities are adopting Net Zero Waste goals and looking for innovative solutions to reuse, recycle and reduce waste. California cities have taken the lead with policies and practices that others are now considering. New York has recently issued a RFP for waste-to-energy/waste diversion projects, targeted at new entrants with new technologies and approaches.

Successful waste management strategies depend on supportive policy frameworks, innovative approaches, and available funding. Darby Hoover, Senior Resource Specialist at NRDC, will discuss how San Francisco’s comprehensive Zero Waste program is advancing toward the goal of diverting 100% of waste away from landfills by 2020. Ron Gonen, Co-founder of Recyclebank, will provide insight into opportunities for entrepreneurs, highlighting the work of leading young companies in reuse, recycling and producer responsibility. Maria Gotsch, CEO and President of the New York City Investment Fund, will discuss the role that NYC Investment Fund can play in funding entrepreneurs who want to get into this space in New York.

E2 Webinar - Playing by New Rules: How Carbon Emissions Standards Will Promote Innovation (National) TeleSalon

Electricity generation continues to be the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. On Tuesday, the EPA released its proposal for the first-ever national limits on carbon dioxide pollution from power plants -- a very important step forward in the battle to head off climate change. Though the U.S. was unable to achieve comprehensive federal climate policy, EPA’s regulations on power plant and transportation emissions are important measures towards achieving the same objectives. The new standards are expected to spur investments in cleaner, safer and more efficient power; unleash American technological innovation; and protect Americans’ health and save lives.

Please join NRDC’s Director of Climate Programs David Hawkins, who led NRDC's multi-year effort on this work; Joseph Goffman, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at US EPA; and Jeff Williams, Director of Climate Consulting at Entergy Corporation, to discuss EPA’s new carbon standard for power plants, its implications for power generation today and in the future, and its potential to stimulate innovation and investment in cleaner, more efficient energy.

Our urban and suburban communities are an ever expanding acreage of impervious surfaces – roads, rooftops, parking lots – which cause trillions of gallons of rain water to run down our gutters instead of seeping in to the earth and replenishing our aquifers. On its way, this water can be contaminated with anything from motor oil to pesticides to fertilizers, all of which end up in our rivers, lakes, beaches, and drinking water supplies.

Cities nationwide are beginning to incorporate green infrastructures – green roofs, permeable pavement and rain gardens – to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and improve fresh water supplies. Philadelphia has taken the lead with a plan to develop a comprehensive green infrastructure network with first-of-its-kind financing mechanisms that leverage private capital. Meanwhile, in regions like coastal southern California, where fresh water supply is a perennial problem, green infrastructure strategies are being used to reduce water pollution, replenish local aquifers, and increase local water supplies, in the process reducing the amount of energy expended to supply water from distant, energy-intensive sources.

Please join Jon Devine, NRDC Water Program; Erin Williams, Philadelphia Water Department; and Robert Wilkinson, Bren School of Env. Science & Mgmt. at UC Santa Barbara, to discuss the new opportunities in urban water management.

Invitation have been sent. Please contact Ying Li (yli@nrdc.org) with any questions.

As worldwide carbon emissions continue to grow, there is increasing debate about “geoengineering” – purposely manipulating the earth’s climate either by limiting the solar radiation reaching earth or removing carbon from the air. Some technologies that might be used have not been widely studied, and their potential usefulness and damaging side-effects are not well understood.

Should the nations of the world take measures to deliberately manipulate global climate? Who would manage this process, and what might the unintended consequences of such manipulations be? And if successful, what implications would these technologies have for clean energy development and policy?

Please join David Keith, President of Carbon Engineering and Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at SEAS, and David Goldston, Director of Government Affairs at NRDC, for a program that will explore a new level of human intervention in the environment.

Invitations have been sent. If you have any questions, please contact Ying Li at yli@nrdc.org

Regulation Is Not a Four-Letter Word (National) TeleSalon

Prof. Margaret Taylor of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory offers a framework for assessing the impact of environmental regulation on demand push and pull. One of her conclusions, based on research on pollution control, is that properly designed regulations create incentives for innovation, diffusion of new technologies and the growth of new industries.Regulation as the Mother of Innovation: The Case of SO2 Control.

David Goldstein, NRDC’s Energy Co-Director and MacArthur Fellow, starts from the perspective that regulations are an essential part of making markets work. Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services. When products and services meet expectations, we tend to take this for granted. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice.

David Szczupak, Executive Vice President Global Product Production, Whirlpool, provides a ‘real world’ example of how industry and government, working together, have developed energy efficiency standards that benefit business, the environment and the consumer. He will share how these regulations have changed the way Whirlpool approaches R&D and has helped to grow their business.

The Global Energy Challenge: Sustainable Energy for the Developing World (National) TeleSalon

Meeting the global energy challenge is one of the most pressing issues of our time. In the next 20 years, energy consumption is expected to rise by 40 per cent, mostly in developing countries. Energy investments are critical to alleviating poverty for the 1.6 billion people who still live without electricity and more than 2 billion people who continue to cook with firewood and charcoal. And, as emerging economies rapidly industrialize and their populations grow, the requirements for more sophisticated infrastructure and conveniences will only increase.

How can we meet the demand for universal access to modern, clean energy without leading to climate destruction? What role can the private sector play in addressing those needs?

We are pleased to have Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC, with us to address the question of how to meet the energy needs of developing countries in a sustainable manner, and what strategies and solutions are available to do so. Adam Wolfensohn, Managing Director at Wolfensohn & Co., will provide an investor’s perspective on the opportunities and challenges of investing in and building those energy solutions. Jake Schmidt, NRDC International Climate Policy Director, will report on international efforts and US government programs designed to encourage the deployment of clean, affordable energy programs which may be at risk in the current economic and political environment. We hope you’ll join us for this special telesalon.

Invitations have been sent. Contact Ying Li at yli@nrdc.org with any questions.

Mission Critical: Clean Energy and the U.S. Military (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)

A new and formidable leader has emerged in the push for clean energy. The U.S. Department of Defense is setting aggressive objectives to reduce its fossil fuel dependence and invest in low carbon renewables and energy efficiency technologies. Leaders of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines say our current fuel mix is a national security threat, making Americans vulnerable overseas and at home. Furthermore, the DOD warns that global warming is a threat multiplier which will heighten geopolitical instability and create both military and humanitarian challenges beyond the armed services’ capacity to respond. In a time of Congressional gridlock, the U.S. military says we must face this issue now. Join us for a telesalon to hear from E2 member Lt. General Norman Seip (Air Force, retired); Jonathan Powers, Special Advisor on Energy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army; and Gavi Begtrup, Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, about the role the military is playing to move America toward a clean energy economy, and how Congress is responding. Invitations have been sent. Please contact e2@nrdc.org with any questions.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) In the rush before the August Congressional recess, the House of Representatives has unleashed the latest in a wave of attacks, pushing forward bills to undermine environmental protections such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, and even demonizing energy efficient light bulbs. Though the Senate has so far been able to resist the most damaging provisions, many of these are reappearing from the House as policy riders on must-pass spending authorization bills.

On July 27th Marc Boom, E2’s Federal Legislative Advocate, and Scott Slesinger, NRDC’s Legislative Director, will provide an update on these challenges as they are unfolding, and discuss what to expect when Congress returns in the fall and how E2 members can play a strategic role in pushing back against these attacks.

Natural Gas in the Mix: Finding the Balance (National) TeleSalon

With the expansion of the shale gas industry, the debate around natural gas has taken on new dimensions. President Obama has identified shale gas as a major new domestic energy source, reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Natural gas is cleaner burning than other fossil fuels, and thus has a transitional role in our energy future. However, natural gas production also has significant environmental and public health impacts, which can include significant toxic air and water pollution for surrounding communities. On the May National TeleSalon, E2 members will hear from Kate Sinding, Senior Attorney and Deputy Director of the Urban East Program at NRDC, Briana Mordick, NRDC Oil and Gas Science Fellow, and Susan Harvey, a consultant and former oil and gas regulator for the state of Alaska, who will speak on environmental and health concerns around natural gas development, the current regulatory approach, and proposed technical and regulatory solutions.

Nuclear Energy - What Now? (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is provoking questions around the world about nuclear energy. The U.S. nuclear fleet, responsible for roughly 20% of total domestic electricity production, includes at least 31 plants of identical or similar design to the Fukushima plant. What implications does the catastrophe in Japan have for the safety of our current nuclear power plants? Under what circumstances does nuclear make sense in our future energy portfolio, economically and environmentally? What are the options, risks and trade-offs for replacing aging nuclear plants, either with new versions of nuclear or with a combination of fossil fuel and renewable power? How will these energy decisions play out in Washington, DC in the near future?

This E2 Telesalon, featuring Christopher Paine, Dr. Thomas Cochran, and Matthew McKinzie of the NRDC Nuclear Program, will summarize what happened and what is continuing to unfold at Fukushima, and address the viability for nuclear energy going forward. Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA), a math PhD with more than 20 years experience in the clean energy field,will give a Capitol Hill perspective on the nuclear issue and the decisions that will be made at the federal level to determine the future direction of U.S. energy generation.

Water in the 21st Century: Threats and Solutions for a Vital Resource (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) Referred to by CEOs as the “oil of the 21st century” and by the President as one of the nation’s "grand challenges,” water is increasingly viewed as one of the nation’s most significant environmental challenges of the 21st century. Clean water - essential to people, wildlife, ecosystems, and economies - is increasingly scarce in many regions of the United States. Swelling demand is currently depleting aquifers, draining rivers, harming crops and threatening fish and other wildlife. Pollution further compounds the scarcity problem by diminishing the utility of water theoretically available to people and the environment. Unfortunately, these challenges will only be exacerbated by climate change: climate models suggest that global warming will increasingly affect patterns of freshwater availability and the frequency of both floods and drought in the coming decades.

To address these problems, NRDC has launched a new, national water program to ensure safe and sufficient water for people and the environment. Program Director David Beckman and senior NRDC water experts Jon Devine, Steve Fleischli, Barry Nelson and Ed Osann will summarize the key water challenges facing the country and discuss durable solutions that we can implement now and in the future. This TeleSalon will also preview key findings of a new NRDC report to be released later this year examining the impact of climate change on water resources in a dozen U.S. cities, plus present recent NRDC analysis on which U.S. counties are most at risk in the coming decades for water stress and consequential effects on human activities and the environment.

Invitations have been emailed to E2 Members and friends. Contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions.

Alternative Fuels 101: The Good, the Bad, and the Enormous Implications (National) TeleSalon

There may be wide acknowledgment that the United States needs to wean itself off imported fossil fuels, but alternatives are not all created equal. The existing and potential market for non-traditional liquid fuels has spurred a range of emerging options to meet the growing demand. E2's March TeleSalon will feature a discussion on biofuels, coal-to-liquid technology, tar sands, and the varying environmental implications of each. Join us for a conversation led by Judith Albert (E2 Executive Director), featuring Mary Solecki (E2 Advanced Biofuel Industry Consultant), Brian Siu (NRDC Energy Policy Analyst), and Liz Barratt-Brown (NRDC Senior Attorney) to hear about this complex and consequential topic, and how E2 is taking a leading role in advancing positive policy outcomes.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) A special mid-month E2 TeleSalon highlighted new efforts by NRDC's Center for Market Innovation (CMI) to accelerate energy efficiency retrofits in commercial buildings - and the savings and jobs that come with them. Yerina Mugica, CMI Associate Director, profiled a newly launched initiative that could serve as a model for tenant-led retrofits. The project is a collaboration among key stakeholders including Johnson Controls Inc, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Goldman Sachs, as well as large commercial tenants and building owners. The effort focuses on incorporating energy efficiency measures into the process of renewing a lease or moving into a new space. By focusing on integrating efficiency into the lease signing and tenant “fit out” process, we have a tremendous opportunity to explore innovative financing and strategies for ensuring that both tenant and landlord benefit from the improved efficiency measures. This webinar also featured an effort led by Mayor Bloomberg’s office to develop energy-efficiency lease language, working together with NRDC and other partners. Steven Caputo, Policy Advisor from the Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability, described how such language can build retrofit demand by addressing the “split incentive” problem, which frequently arises when the owner pays for retrofits while the tenant enjoys the energy savings through lower utility bills. Participants had the opportunity for questions following the presentation.

The transportation sector is responsible for about a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and has shot up significantly over the last couple of decades. Fortunately, smarter policies to reduce the pollution from our transportation activities are readily available. As the reauthorization of the enormous federal transportation bill – the nation’s largest non-Defense discretionary spending program at $40-50 billion yearly – looms ahead, E2 and NRDC will be pushing for major improvements to steer us toward cleaner transportation infrastructure while setting reduction goals for emissions. At the same time, recent studies reveal the huge opportunities for states to take actions on their own. Better coordinated plans at the state level to reduce vehicle miles traveled, repair and maintain existing infrastructure, relieve wasteful traffic congestion, spur public transportation ridership, and link high-quality transit service with land-use planning would yield significant reductions in transportation-related pollution - and make better economic sense. E2 members will hear from Aaron Klein (Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury) along with NRDC's Federal Transportation Policy team of Deron Lovaas (Director) and Colin Peppard (Deputy Director) about these issues and how E2 will be able to help in 2011.

The much awaited report by the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling was released on January 11th. This report is based on the culmination of 8 months of examining the accident, considered the worst oil spill in U.S. history, and has resulted in a set of recommendations designed to prevent a disaster of this nature from occurring in the future. E2 Members will have the opportunity to hear directly from Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC and one of seven members of the Commission, on a specially convened conference call to include questions from participants. Additionally, see Frances' op-ed in the Huffington Post.

Email invitations have been sent for this members-only event. Please contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions.

E2 Member Conference Call Briefing on Federal Tax Package TeleSalon

Thursday, December 16, 2010 (10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific)Jim Presswood, NRDC's Federal Energy Policy Director, will brief national E2 members on the current tax package that is likely to pass through Congress. Several very important tax credits for renewable energy and energy efficiency are part of the debate, and E2 members are placing calls to select House members to specifically include the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (48C) and eliminate wasteful support for corn ethanol and liquid coal technology.

This conference call will last 30 minutes and is available to E2 members only. Conference line information will be emailed to registered attendees on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 15. Please contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) Over the next 25 years, the US will gain 70 million additional residents, 50 million new and replacement homes, and 78 billion square feet of new and replacement commercial and other nonresidential building space. Fully half the built environment we will have then is not yet on the ground. How we organize and support this activity has tremendous consequences for our environment, economy and social fabric, which is why NRDC just adopted Fostering Sustainable Communities as one of its institutional priorities for the next five years. On the October National TeleSalon, E2 members will hear from Shelley Poticha, Director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), about how her agency is emphasizing sustainability in its programs and how the exciting federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities among HUD, EPA and the Department of Transportation is for the first time coordinating the agencies' activities for environmentally responsible community-building. Kaid Benfield, Director of NRDC's new Sustainable Communities Initiative, will explain the goals and diverse strategies of NRDC's sustainability agenda, including how the organization is working with the private sector and with state, local and federal government on demonstration projects, incentives, major state and local planning initiatives, and comprehensive federal transportation legislation to create green jobs, equitable urban revitalization, and clean, walkable neighborhoods.

Email invitations have been sent to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions.

July Monthly TeleSalon (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)

There will be no July monthly TeleSalon. Enjoy the summer break.

The Business Case for Better Chemical Regulation (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), originally enacted in 1976, is the major law for regulating the safety of most chemicals used in commerce in the U.S. However, the content and enforcement of this law has proven to be highly ineffective. At the time of the bill's writing, 62,000 chemicals already on the market were grandfathered in and exempted from review for their effects on health or the environment. Since that time, due to unusually high legal hurdles and barriers to agency action in the law, the EPA has issued regulations restricting the use of only five of those 62,000 chemicals. Since 1976, another 22,000 chemicals have been added to the TSCA inventory, most with little or no information about their impacts on health or the environment. Moreover, the scientific understanding of the potential for chemicals to affect human health and the environment has advanced in many respects since the enactment of TSCA, little of which is reflected in how chemicals are currently regulated. Household cleaners, paint, furniture, carpets, building materials, toys and baby products are but a few examples of things we have daily contact with that should carry the certainty of safety, but downstream goods producers often lack that knowledge. As a result, consequences stretch from human health problems to environmental degradation to costly recalls, a lack of consumer confidence in the marketplace, and a diminished bottom line for companies.

We can do a lot better and there are currently efforts underway in Washington DC to address the shortfalls of TSCA. E2’s June TeleSalon will feature three experts on this issue: Dr. Sarah Janssen and Daniel Rosenberg of NRDC’s Public Health Program and Andy Igrejas, National Campaign Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, all of whom are deeply involved in the reform effort and will speak to the science, policy, and politics it will take to overhaul this important law.

Sustainable Food and Farm Innovators (National) TeleSalon

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) E2's May TeleSalon will feature four individuals who have made outstanding contributions to sustainable food and farming and earned a 2010 Growing Green Awards from NRDC. The awards, which recognize extraordinary efforts that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, are chosen by an independent panel of experts and span four categories: Food Producer, Business Leader, Thought Leader, and Water Steward. This year's winners, Russ Lester, Karl Kupers, Fred Kirschenmann, and Mike Benziger, are prime examples of forward-thinking innovators who have put the principles of sustainability at the heart of their operations and can speak to the challenges and the benefits of their respective efforts.

Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org for more information.

Green Con-Men, Eco Poodles, and the Climate Bill TeleSalon

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific) The Senate is about to introduce a climate and clean energy bill that is the product of months of negotiation. As a result, stake holders from opposing flanks in this debate are ramping up their rhetoric in an effort to capture the hearts and minds of the American public.

On the one hand, certain industries and climate change deniers are assailing the scientific consensus on the causes of global warming, pointing to apparent discrepancies among researchers as evidence of "Climategate". On the other hand, activists working to promote an aggressive climate bill view the concessions made in the Senate to the coal, nuclear and oil industries as betrayals to the cause, accusing those who support it of being the lapdogs of industry polluters.

Join us for a candid and pragmatic discussion of the criticisms being leveled at the current climate policy effort in Congress. Dr. Stephen Schneider, renowned Stanford climate scientist and author of the recently released book "Science is a Contact Sport", will address the effort to undermine popular acceptance of the scientific consensus on climate change. Bob Deans, Federal Communications Director for NRDC, will discuss the challenges and strategies for playing both offense and defense on climate messaging, and Dave Hawkins from NRDC's climate center will explain the rationale for supporting a carbon bill that includes concessions to carbon-intensive industries.